Lewisham: support anti-academy dispute

Segdehill students protesting against their school becoming an academy, photo by Lewisham SP (Click to enlarge)

Lewisham NUT members

On 12 February National Union of Teachers members are due to strike at four Lewisham schools in south London, Prendergast Hilly Fields, Prendergast Vale, Ladywell Fields and Sedgehill, to stop them becoming academies.

A fifth school, Bonus Pastor, has abandoned its academy plan. Now for the other four!

The government says academies are given extra 'freedoms'. That includes being 'free' to break from national pay and conditions.

Staff in many academies report that conditions and morale have got worse. That's bad for teachers - and bad for education too.

Instead of being part of one democratically accountable local authority, schools and staff are divided into different employers.

There's no evidence that academies improve education. That's not an NUT claim - it's what a committee of MPs has just concluded!

Resist the spread

Up to now, Lewisham has largely resisted the spread of academies that has taken hold in some boroughs. Shouldn't it stay that way?

This government introduced new rules that allow schools to convert into academies very quickly and without having to properly listen to the views of staff and parents. Once converted, you can't change back.

If politicians and governors are so confident that academies are the answer, why not put the decision to a full ballot of parents?